Muckleshoot

The name "Muckleshoot" is an anglicization of the Lushootseed word . originally referred only to a prairie, located between the White and Green rivers, and never as a word to refer to the peoples living in this area. Prior to the establishment of the Muckleshoot reservation, the Indigenous peoples of the Green-White river systems were variously called "Green River Indians", "White River Indians", or by their native village terms (such as Skopamish). The name "Muckleshoot" was first recorded in a survey conducted by George Gibbs from 1853-1856, where he recorded "Mukl-shootl", as being a "prairie between the White and Green [rivers]. U.S. Military Station". The term evolved from referring to a prairie, to referring to a military outpost on the prairie. After the reservation was established at the fort, it took the name of the prairie, and later, was applied to the Indians living at the reservation. The earliest recorded use of "Muckleshoot" to refer to a people was in 1864, by John Montgomery, who described his wife as "an Indian woman of the Muckleshute Band of the Klikitat Tribe." Montgomery, like other settlers at the time, evidently referred to peoples east of the Cascade mountains indiscriminately as "Klikitats," and likely thought that the "Muckleshutes" of the Muckleshoot Reservation were a sub-group of the "Klikitats", due to close ties between the peoples of the Green and White rivers and the interior peoples. In 1868 and 1870, reports from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs described the "Muckleshoots" and the "Muckleshoot Tribe" living at the Muckleshoot reservation. == History ==

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe is the successor of various groups which lived along the Duwamish River's watershed, and parts of the upper Puyallup River's watershed. These include the: • Duwamish • Stkamish intended at protecting their fragile ecosystem. Known as the Fish Wars, these protests attempted to preserve Muckleshoot fishing rights in nearby rivers that were not within the official reservation. County and state authorities had tried to regulate their fishing off-reservation. Similarly, the state tried to regulate other tribes in their fishing along the coastal waters. In the Boldt Decision, the federal district court upheld the right of the Muckleshoot and other Treaty peoples to fish from the rivers of the region and hunt in these territories. It ruled that the Native Americans had rights to half the catch in their traditional areas. It designated the Muckleshoot as co-managers of the King County watershed, with control over fishing and hunting in their "Usual and Accustomed" historical fishing and hunting grounds. While this improved the tribe's economic standing, the Muckleshoot were soon forced to contend with a sharp decline in the salmon population, due to the adverse effects on the environment, especially river water quality, of urbanization and industrialization. Dams on rivers had decreased the fish populations that could get upstream to spawn, and water quality in the rivers had declined. While they continue to fight for the preservation of the ancient salmon runs, the Muckleshoot also found other venues to improve their economy. ==Government and politics==

The Muckleshoot Tribe is beholden to their constitution, which was approved on May 13, 1936 and was ratified later that year, on October 21, 1936. The primary governing body is the Muckleshoot Tribal Council, a nine-member elected body. The Tribal Council is subject to the General Council, which is composed of all citizens of the Muckleshoot Tribe. == Muckleshoot Reservation ==

Most Muckleshoot citizens live on or near the Muckleshoot Reservation. The reservation is located between the White and Green rivers on Muckleshoot Prairie (), southeast of Auburn, Washington. The reservation is situated in parts of King and Pierce counties. == Demographics ==

As of 2023, the Muckleshoot Tribe has 3,353 enrolled members, of which 1,522 (±337) are of Muckleshoot ancestry alone. As of 2023, the Muckleshoot Reservation has a population of around 3,959 (±569), of which 1,421 (±194) are White, 73 (±50) are Black or African American, 1,103 (±290) are American Indian and Alaska Native, 171 (±114) are Asian, 96 (±102) are Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 373 (±151) are Some Other Race, and 722 (±216) are Two or More Races. == Culture ==

The Muckleshoot speak the southern dialect of Lushootseed, called Whulshootseed. The specific variety of Southern Lushootseed spoken at Muckleshoot is called . Use of the language has declined, and English is now the majority language. However, the tribe has been engaging in revitalizing the language. Muckleshoot citizens Earnie Barr, Eva Jerry, Bertha McJoe, Bernice Tanewasha, and Ellen Williams were involved in creating a written form for Lushootseed. The Muckleshoot Tribe holds Skopabsh Days each August, which is a three-day festival that features traditional arts, crafts, cooking, and clothing. Additionally, each July, the Muckleshoot Tribe hosts the Muckleshoot Sobriety Powwow. In the First Salmon Ceremony, the entire community shares the flesh of a Spring Chinook. They return its remains to the river where it was caught. This is so the salmon can inform the other fish of how well it was received. The other ceremony for the first salmon is to roast it until it becomes ashes. The Muckleshoot toss the bones and ashes back into the water or stream where they took the salmon, believing that the fish would come alive again (be part of a round of new propagation). == Economy and services ==

Most Muckleshoot citizens are employed by industries in the nearby city of Auburn, as well as by the tribal government. Others engage in fishing, logging, or agriculture on the reservation. The tribe manages fisheries and hatcheries, as well as a community center, community housing, a library, a medical and dental clinic, an educational training program, and a youth group program. In total, the tribe employs 1,200, and is the second-largest employer in southern King County. Economic developments The tribe won settlements from Puget Sound Power & Light for the long-term effects of dam construction and the state government for imposing sales taxes on the reservation. It used proceeds from the settlements, as well as revenue from a bingo hall, to purchase more than of land on the reservation by 1995. In 2006, the tribe made a $42 million agreement with the Seattle City Council for the conservation and protection of the Cedar River. The Muckleshoot Tribe acquired the Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls for $62.5 million in 2007. It sold the site to the Snoqualmie Tribe for $125 million in 2019. Since 2019, the tribe has signed sponsorship agreements with the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners that include naming rights and jersey sponsorships. The Seattle Kraken began wearing a sponsorship patch with the Muckleshoot Tribe's logo during the 2023–24 NHL season. It is believed to be the first sponsorship of a tribe—rather than an Indian casino—in major professional American sports. The tribe are also naming rights sponsors of the Muckleshoot Heritage Plaza at Lumen Field, the home stadium of the Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC, through an agreement signed in 2019. Muckleshoot Casino The Muckleshoot Tribe opened the Muckleshoot Casino in April 1995, following changes to Native American gaming laws. The casino and bingo parlor, built with a tropical theme, included an off-track horse racing betting area. Since then, the facility has been expanded four times. The White River Amphitheatre was developed by the tribe on land adjacent to the casino and opened in June 2003. Revenue from these ventures funded the construction of a new tribal medical facility, tribal administrative offices, and a new Indian Shaker church in the early 2000s. Twenty percent of all revenue from tribal gaming is spent on education. The Muckleshoot Casino was expanded in January 2024 with the opening of an 18-story hotel with 401 rooms. The casino itself was expanded to ; a parking garage at the site opened in 2021. Transportation Since 2017, Muckleshoot Tribal Transit has offered free bus service on the reservation. The transit is funded by grants from the Federal Transit Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Education Education for the tribe is conducted by Muckleshoot Child Care, Muckleshoot Tribal Schools, and the Muckleshoot Tribal College. Muckleshoot Tribal Schools started in 1984, and provides education which emphasizes Indigenous history, art, dance, and culture, as well as language. In 1997, MTS began offering all high-school grades. A modern, K-12 school opened in 2009, providing access to academic and cultural learning as well as 21st century technology. Students can earn an associates degree at Muckleshoot Tribal College. == References ==